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Topic: Bear - kill kit question (Read 2152 times)

My question is: Does a bear have a similar ball joint to ungulates like deer on the hind quarters?

I've watched a few youttube videos of bear butchering, etc. But it's difficult to tell. Studying bear anatomy diagrams, it looks like it has a similar ball joint. I'm assuming it does, but thought I'd throw this question out to the forum for those that have taken a bear in the backcountry. I've butchered many wild and farm animals in my life, but never a bear or seen a bear butchered first hand.

As I'm packing my daypack this afternoon in preparation for tomorrow's hunt, I'm going through my kill kit. I have a specific knife I like to use if I know I'm likely to quarter a deer to get it out faster as it's sturdy and I can pop the ball joint on the rear legs easily. But it's heavy, and really only purpose is for quick work of quartering due to it's size and heft. I never use this knife if I'm de-boning. I normally de-bone later seasons, but due to heat and or bees I sometimes quarter an animal in the early seasons to get to the cooler quicker. If the bear doesn't have the ball joint, I'm leaving the heavy knife at home.

Seemed the same to me. I went after mine just like I do a deer and it worked out fine.

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"All those who love Nature she loves in return, and will richly reward, not perhaps with the good things, as they are commonly called, but with the best things of this world-not with money and title, horses and carriages, but with bright and happy thoughts, contentment and peace of mind."

Will be the same as doing your deer and elk on the hip joints. The front joints are a little different on critters with paws rather then hoofs. They still shouldn't give you to much problem.

If you get the leg spread wide enough you can hit the tendon inside the joint that holds the ball in. I do it with little knives like havalons all the time. Just have to get the right angle. No need to pack a heavy knife for just those joints.

Not sure if you are hunting westside or east. If eastside, don't be surprised how fast the hornets and Yellowjackets will be on your carcass and how much of a pain they are. If you have allergies to them, plan accordingly.

But the saw doesn't break and can be used on brush. I know many love the smaller replaceable blades that are on the market these days, and I love them for detail skinning at home, I am just not a fan of them for field dressing. That being said, splitting the wrist joint is definitely cleaner and easier. Maybe I need to bring one out in the field to try it. It's not like it adds any noticeable weight.

Bring a saw for the bone above the paws if you are packing out the hide for saving. My kill kit is a saw, a single skinning knife, gloves, and game bags

you can easily split the wrist joint with a scalpel blade, no need for a saw

@fillthefreezer - question for ya. I haven't needed anything but my Havalon for deer and bear. I am still carrying a larger kit for elk though because I've been told I'll definitely need a saw or hatchet for the pelvis. I don't do gutless because I keep some of the organs and I keep as many bones as possible for stock. Would you recommend a saw in my case for elk or think I'm still good? Seems like I can always find the joint with my Havalon but maybe my inexperience with elk is speaking here.

@fillthefreezer - question for ya. I haven't needed anything but my Havalon for deer and bear. I am still carrying a larger kit for elk though because I've been told I'll definitely need a saw or hatchet for the pelvis. I don't do gutless because I keep some of the organs and I keep as many bones as possible for stock. Would you recommend a saw in my case for elk or think I'm still good? Seems like I can always find the joint with my Havalon but maybe my inexperience with elk is speaking here.

its possible to gut an animal without splitting the pelvis, ill just get everything loose, sever the end of the digestive track and dislodge the gut pile, then swap gloves, for handling meat.last year we did a moose with nothing but small knives, and it wasnt gutless. (it started gutless, then i missed going for the tenderloins, welp, time to gut this thing!! )

I have gutted and skinned moose and elk with a pocket knife a few times. If you go just to the side of the brisket where the ribs connect with gristle you can cut along the brisket to open them up, it's a little tough but can be done. I much prefer carrying a small gerber hatchet rather than a saw when hunting elk/moose, it's quicker than sawing. Bear are not much tougher than deer and easy to do the whole animal with a pocket knife. If it's an older bear with a tough brisket just go along the side where the ribs connect.

So @bearpaw and @fillthefreezer, if I'm trying to keep the pack lighter but I still want to be effective, a Havalon and hatchet should do the trick for the bigger animals?

FYI bearpaw, I stand behind my comment on the lurker thread... I'm 10x the hunter I was before because of this site. Thanks for the advice guys!

Thanks!!

Curtis

to each their own, but youll never find a hatchet in my pack. ill pick up a saw when dropping a load of meat if i want to skull cap something but thats it. deer, bear, elk, moose, i havent wished for any other tools than small knives to this point. i will say, that outdoor edge knife was superior to my havalon, side x side.

So @bearpaw and @fillthefreezer, if I'm trying to keep the pack lighter but I still want to be effective, a Havalon and hatchet should do the trick for the bigger animals?

FYI bearpaw, I stand behind my comment on the lurker thread... I'm 10x the hunter I was before because of this site. Thanks for the advice guys!

Thanks!!

Curtis

A saw or small hatchet can take care of bones and brisket on large animals easier than a knife, if you don't want the extra weight of packing either of those, a knife will easily split a bear open if you cut along the side of the brisket.

The only advise I can give was told to me long time ago ,by some old timers.Is if you don't debone right away and plan on draging to the truck like deer is after gutting cut down to the pelvic bone and ball joints to let meat cool,said bears hold the heat in there body better cause of fat ,and your meat will won't cool if you have to drag a long way.

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Two birds in the Bush is always better than one in the hand-that way you can always go to the Bush and hunt another day .conservation=Better hunting.Wrote by hunter399

The only advise I can give was told to me long time ago ,by some old timers.Is if you don't debone right away and plan on draging to the truck like deer is after gutting cut down to the pelvic bone and ball joints to let meat cool,said bears hold the heat in there body better cause of fat ,and your meat will won't cool if you have to drag a long way.

Their bones actually hold heat as well. Bear is the only animal I work on deboning quickly if I am in the back 40. If I'm closer to the truck I worry less.

The only advise I can give was told to me long time ago ,by some old timers.Is if you don't debone right away and plan on draging to the truck like deer is after gutting cut down to the pelvic bone and ball joints to let meat cool,said bears hold the heat in there body better cause of fat ,and your meat will won't cool if you have to drag a long way.

That's true about bear holding heat and needing cooled fast, they can spoil quickly. The hide needs to come off as soon as possible and the heat needs to escape as quickly as possible. If not close to a vehicle you had better break it down, if you can't pack it all in one trip hang the rest in a shaded spot until you get back. If it's hot and there is a stream that's a great way to cool meat.

I much prefer the gutless method my self. I only pack a knife. No saw or hatchet. If it's hot I'll debone before packing but other wise de-boning is done at camp. Snowed on me last year while recovering my bear.

« Last Edit: August 24, 2017, 10:24:45 AM by jasnt »

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